Human-powered vehicle control device

Abstract

A human-powered vehicle control device includes an electronic controller that is configured to control a motor that assists in propulsion of a human-powered vehicle and that stops assisting in the propulsion of the human-powered vehicle at a timing suitable for a state of the human-powered vehicle or a state of a road. The electronic controller drives the motor in correspondence with a human drive force upon determining a traveling speed of the human-powered vehicle is less than a predetermined speed that is higher than 0 km/h. The electronic controller varies the predetermined speed in correspondence with at least one of a state of the human-powered vehicle and a state of a road on which the human-powered vehicle travels. The electronic controller does not assist the propulsion of the human-powered vehicle upon determining the traveling speed of the human-powered vehicle is greater than or equal to the predetermined speed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A human-powered vehicle control device comprising:
 an electronic controller configured to control a motor that assists in propulsion of a human-powered vehicle, the electronic controller being further configured to drive the motor in correspondence with a human drive force upon determining a traveling speed of the human-powered vehicle is less than a predetermined speed that is higher than 0 km/h, 
 the electronic controller being further configured to vary the predetermined speed in correspondence with at least one of a state of the human-powered vehicle and a state of a road on which the human-powered vehicle travels, and 
 the electronic controller being further configured to restrict assistance of the propulsion of the human-powered vehicle upon determining the traveling speed of the human-powered vehicle is greater than or equal to the predetermined speed. 
 
     
     
       2. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the state of the human-powered vehicle includes a first state and a second state that differs from the first state, and 
 the electronic controller is further configured to set the predetermined speed to a first predetermined speed while the human-powered vehicle is in the first state, and 
 the electronic controller is further configured to set the predetermined speed to a second predetermined speed that is lower than the first predetermined speed while the human-powered vehicle is in the second state. 
 
     
     
       3. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the first predetermined speed is a fixed value. 
 
     
     
       4. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the electronic controller is further configured not to drive the motor upon determining the human-powered vehicle is traveling at a traveling speed exceeding the predetermined speed. 
 
     
     
       5. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the electronic controller is configured to vary the predetermined speed in correspondence with the state of the human-powered vehicle, and 
 the state of the human-powered vehicle includes at least one of a state of the traveling speed of the human-powered vehicle, a state of an angle of the human-powered vehicle, a state of a handlebar steering angle of the human-powered vehicle, and a turning state of the human-powered vehicle. 
 
     
     
       6. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the electronic controller is further configured to vary the predetermined speed in correspondence with the traveling speed of the human-powered vehicle and at least one of a handlebar steering angle of the human-powered vehicle and an angle of the human-powered vehicle. 
 
     
     
       7. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the angle of the human-powered vehicle includes at least one of a yaw angle, a pitch angle, and a roll angle. 
 
     
     
       8. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the electronic controller is further configured to vary the predetermined speed in correspondence with the angle of the human-powered vehicle. 
 
     
     
       9. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the electronic controller is further configured to set the predetermined speed to a first predetermined speed upon determining a roll angle serving as the angle of the human-powered vehicle is less than a first roll angle, and 
 the electronic controller is further configured to set the predetermined speed to a second speed that is lower than the first predetermined speed upon determining the roll angle is greater than or equal to the first roll angle. 
 
     
     
       10. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the electronic controller is further configured to set predetermined speed to a first predetermined speed upon determining the handlebar steering angle of the human-powered vehicle is less than a first steering angle, and 
 the electronic controller is further configured to set the predetermined speed to a second speed that is lower than the first predetermined speed upon determining the handlebar steering angle is greater than or equal to the first steering angle. 
 
     
     
       11. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the electronic controller is further configured to detect that the human-powered vehicle is in the turning state from the traveling speed of the human-powered vehicle and at least one of the angle of the human-powered vehicle and the handlebar steering angle of the human-powered vehicle. 
 
     
     
       12. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the electronic controller is further configured to set the predetermined speed to the traveling speed of the human-powered vehicle at a point of time in which the turning state of the human-powered vehicle started upon determining the human-powered vehicle is in the turning state. 
 
     
     
       13. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the electronic controller is further configured to set the predetermined speed to an average value of the traveling speed of the human-powered vehicle for a period from a time point in which the turning state of the human-powered vehicle started until a predetermined time upon determining the human-powered vehicle is in the turning state. 
 
     
     
       14. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the electronic controller is further configured to set the predetermined speed to an average value of the traveling speed of the human-powered vehicle for a case where the human-powered vehicle travels over a distance from a predetermined location to a location where the turning state of the human-powered vehicle started upon determining the human-powered vehicle is in the turning state. 
 
     
     
       15. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the electronic controller is further configured to vary the predetermined speed during at least part of a period from a time point in which the turning state of the human-powered vehicle started until a time point in which the turning state ended. 
 
     
     
       16. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the electronic controller is further configured to vary the predetermined speed in correspondence with a stable state of the human-powered vehicle upon determining the human-powered vehicle is in the turning state. 
 
     
     
       17. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the electronic controller is further configured to vary the predetermined speed based on the stable state, which includes an oversteering state in which the human-powered vehicle is oversteering while in the turning state, an understeering state in which the human-powered vehicle is understeering while in the turning state, and a stable traveling state in which the oversteering or the understeering has been reduced. 
 
     
     
       18. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 17 , wherein
 the electronic controller is further configured to vary the predetermined speed so that the stable state of the human-powered vehicle approaches the stable traveling state. 
 
     
     
       19. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 17 , wherein
 the electronic controller is further configured to lower the predetermined speed upon determining the stable state is the understeering state. 
 
     
     
       20. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 17 , wherein
 the electronic controller is further configured to raise the predetermined speed upon determining the stable state is the oversteering state. 
 
     
     
       21. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 17 , wherein
 the electronic controller is further configured not to vary the predetermined speed upon determining the stable state is the stable traveling state. 
 
     
     
       22. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the electronic controller is further configured to calculate the stable state of the human-powered vehicle in correspondence with the traveling speed of the human-powered vehicle and at least one of a handlebar steering angle of the human-powered vehicle, an angle of the human-powered vehicle, and a wheelbase of the human-powered vehicle. 
 
     
     
       23. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the electronic controller is further configured to vary the predetermined speed to a predetermined speed that was set before being varied in the turning state upon determining the turning state of the human-powered vehicle has ended. 
 
     
     
       24. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the electronic controller is further configured to vary the predetermined speed in correspondence with a road surface resistance of the road. 
 
     
     
       25. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 storage having a plurality of road surface resistances that are selectable in correspondence with the road, and 
 the electronic controller being further configured to vary the predetermined speed based on a selected road surface resistance from the road surface resistances prestored in the storage in which the selected road surface resistance corresponds to the road. 
 
     
     
       26. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the electronic controller is further configured to vary the predetermined speed as the human-powered vehicle approaches a curve in the road. 
 
     
     
       27. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 5 , further comprising
 storage having first, second and third predetermined speeds prestored as the predetermined speed, the second predetermined speed is lower than the first predetermined speed, and the third predetermined speed differs from the second predetermined speed; and 
 the electronic controller being further configured to set the predetermined speed to the third predetermined speed upon determining a braking operation is performed on the human-powered vehicle as the human-powered vehicle approaches a curve in the road or while the human-powered vehicle is in a turning state. 
 
     
     
       28. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the electronic controller includes storage having first, second and third predetermined speeds prestored as the predetermined speed, the second predetermined speed is lower than the first predetermined speed, and the third predetermined speed differs from the second predetermined speed; and 
 the electronic controller is further configured to set the predetermined speed to the third predetermined speed upon determining a braking operation is performed on the human-powered vehicle. 
 
     
     
       29. A human-powered vehicle control device comprising:
 an electronic controller configured to control a motor that assists in propulsion of a human-powered vehicle, 
 the electronic controller being configured to receive a signal from a plurality of sensors regarding a roll angle of the human-powered vehicle and a vehicle speed of the human-powered vehicle, 
 the electronic controller being further configured to control the motor to restrict assistance of the propulsion of the human-powered vehicle upon determining a braking operation is performed on the human-powered vehicle while determining that the human-powered vehicle is in a turning state, 
 the electronic controller determining that the human-powered vehicle is in the turning state when the roll angle is greater than or equal to a first roll angle and the vehicle speed is greater than or equal to a first speed. 
 
     
     
       30. A human-powered vehicle control device comprising:
 an electronic controller configured to control a motor that assists in propulsion of a human-powered vehicle, 
 the electronic controller being configured to acquire map data relating to a road traveled by the human-powered vehicle, 
 the electronic controller being further configured to control the motor to restrict assistance of the propulsion of the human-powered vehicle upon determining a braking operation is performed on the human-powered vehicle while determining that the human-powered vehicle is in a turning state, 
 the electronic controller determining that the human-powered vehicle is in the turning state when the map data indicates that the human-powered vehicle is traveling along a curve. 
 
     
     
       31. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the electronic controller is configured to vary the predetermined speed in correspondence with the state of the human-powered vehicle, and 
 the state of the human-powered vehicle includes a state of the traveling speed of the human-powered vehicle. 
 
     
     
       32. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the electronic controller is configured to vary the predetermined speed in correspondence with the state of the human-powered vehicle, and 
 the state of the human-powered vehicle includes a state of an angle of the human-powered vehicle. 
 
     
     
       33. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the electronic controller is configured to vary the predetermined speed in correspondence with the state of the human-powered vehicle, and 
 the state of the human-powered vehicle includes a state of a handlebar steering angle of the human-powered vehicle. 
 
     
     
       34. The human-powered vehicle control device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the electronic controller is configured to vary the predetermined speed in correspondence with the state of the human-powered vehicle, and 
 the state of the human-powered vehicle includes a turning state of the human-powered vehicle.